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Sen. Warren Unveils Comprehensive Immigration Plan; Buttigieg Introduces Plan to Invest in Empowerment of Black America; House Judiciary Authorizes Subpoenas for Kushner, Kelly, Sessions; Kentucky Senate Candidate Flip Flops on Kavanaugh Answer Within Hours. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired July 11, 2019 - 12:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[12:30:00] MJ LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, the timing it's certainly notable that she is putting out an immigration plan now given that what is happening at the border, the treatment of migrants has created so much controversy lately. It is the reason or part of the reason at least that she and so many other candidates visited the Homestead Migrant detention facility around the first debate.

Now, as you said, this is a pretty detailed plan so just a couple of highlights from Warren's new immigration plan. She says that she wants to decriminalize illegal border crossings. This is an idea championed by Julian Castro that she has already said that she supports. She wants to reduce the number of migrant detentions.

She's also talking about, and this is interesting, creating an independent immigration court system that is essentially separate from the DOJ. The idea being that that would help prevent conflicts of interest from the Trump administration. She is also talking about adding protections for asylum seekers and refugees, and also just broadly expanding legal immigration and also pathways to citizenship.

John, clearly, this is one of the many ways that Elizabeth Warren is trying to create a contrast between herself and President Trump. She wrote this morning that she feels like the Trump administration has advanced a policy of cruelty and division that demonizes immigrants. Clearly, she's trying to say that this is not her vision of America.

John?

JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's MJ Lee with the details in New York. MJ, appreciate the live report.

As we bring this into the room, the Warren plan in the context of the other Democrats, not all that different. A few details are a little different than the others, but it tells you that whoever the Democratic nominee is, unless Steve Bullock rises, you know, from the bottom of the pack right now, Joe Biden not as far to the left as some of these other Democrats but still moving to the left. What a contrast we are going to have in this general election on the specifics of immigration.

SAHIL KAPUR, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, BLOOMBERG: Elizabeth Warren does go further than most Democrats, I think, on the issue of decriminalizing migration. I believe only Julian Castro has put out a proposal that does that. Her plan would also set up a Justice Department task force to investigate criminal abuses of immigrants by the Trump administration. That would be pretty explosive.

But, John, you're absolutely right, this election, I think probably no matter who the Democratic nominee is, especially if it's Elizabeth Warren, would set up the sharpest contrast between the two parties on immigration. Democrat moving aggressively on a pro-immigration direction, President Trump using anti-immigration rhetoric and messages very effectively to galvanize his base. It's going to be remarkable.

RACHAEL BADE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. But even some Democrats, you know, are warning, you know, that these candidates are going too far left. I mean, and seeming to embrace open borders and that could have a backlash. When it comes to making sure migrants are getting standards of care and are not, you know, being treated adversely, making sure that migrant kids are not dying, I think that is an argument that Democrats can easily win and that is one that I think the whole party wants to embrace and run with.

But when it comes to decriminalizing illegal immigration, I mean, this is really controversial, even though we see Warren and, you know, most of the Democratic candidates embracing it right now.

KING: And you look at -- just look at the Trump map. Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, they'll be your testing ground. Can the Democrats sell this in places where they need to sell it to more conservative white working-class voters who voted for Obama then switched to Trump? We shall see as it plays out.

Another candidate with a new plan out today is the South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg who's having -- he's admitted many times, he is having trouble attracting African-American support. He has -- have the marshall plan after the war, he calls as the Douglass plan, the Frederick Douglass plan. Look at the number of proposals here that he believes would fight racial inequality in the country.

Everything from Title I funding to new support for historically black colleges and universities, cut incarceration by 50 percent, fight racial gerrymandering, get K-12 level black history education. You see all the proposals here. It's a lot. It's a lot. Is it a credible plan, I guess, in the sense that can any president get that?

CARL HULSE, CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Well, I think one thing, when you do a lot of provisions like that, people, excuse me, wonder what exactly you're going to be able to get out of that. It's almost too much. You know, a kitchen sink. He's obviously has a problem with that demographic group and he's really reaching out there.

I think he's sincere, but when you look at that lineup, it's like, well, what's your real focus there. And I think that the issue he needed to address is the police interaction, right, and he probably should have maybe limited it a little bit. KING: Well, he has that issue back home at the moment. This is -- let's listen to the mayor last hour on MSNBC trying to explain that, yes, it may be a big proposal, it may be comprehensive, it may have some controversial things, but he thinks not only does he have to have this conversation, that the country should have this conversation not only among African-Americans but in white America.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG (D-IN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This isn't just aimed at black voters. It's very important that we have this conversation as a country because while racial inequality is being visited upon the heads of people of color and black Americans in particular, frankly there needs to be a conversation with white America, with white audiences about how none of us can or should be willing to live in a system where this kind of systemic racist dimensions persist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:35:12] KING: It's interesting. He was an early surprise then he's had some struggles. We're a couple of weeks away from the next round of debates. Is this an effort on his part to try and take himself to the next level?

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and he's been trying to navigate this pretty delicately. Because he did see such a sudden rise (INAUDIBLE). No one knew what his name is to raising as much money as he did. And I think that's been something he's been faced -- he's been forced to face while from his position at home but also broadly.

And so that'll be interesting to see how he sets up that standard because Pete Buttigieg is seen as someone who is more moderate of this group of presidential candidates. So if that's something that he can make a broad appeal for, which we did see broad support when the president did the criminal justice reform bill. So that'll be the question going forward if that something where you see the stark contrast like we're seeing with these immigration proposals and what the White House is going to say about that.

HULSE: I do think his fundraising has pushed him into the top tier, and now he has to do things like this to sustain himself up there and prove that he belongs there.

BADE: Yes, he shot to the top so quickly, and, you know -- but there's no way he can actually win the White House without having the support of black voters. And right now --

HULSE: Or certain primary.

KAPUR: Or the nomination.

BADE: Correct. But I mean, he started -- this is like a real test in that, you know, he started by first apologizing. I mean, he used the debate to actually acknowledge that I haven't done enough as mayor for seven years to recruit black cops who could really help in terms of making sure that, you know, black citizens don't feel like white cops are, you know, in any way coming after them. And he's following that up with a detailed plan. So I mean, you know, this is what he's got to do if he's actually going to be sincere about that apology.

KING: Interesting test. We shall see.

Up next, some more fallout after the Labor Secretary Alex Acosta explains the way he handled the Jeffrey Epstein case as a prosecutor more than a decade ago.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:41:23] KING: Topping our political radar today, this hour, defense attorneys for Jeffrey Epstein putting forward a bail package. They want to keep Epstein out of jail and have him wait for trial on federal sex trafficking charges at his $77 million New York City mansion.

Also today, the White House standing by the labor secretary Alex Acosta, and now he's explaining why he gave Epstein a sweetheart deal over a decade ago. Acosta was the U.S. attorney in Florida who brokered a non-prosecution agreement with Epstein who then spent 13 months in jail. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Acosta defended his decisions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEXANDER ACOSTA, LABOR SECRETARY: Simply put, the Palm Beach state attorney's office was ready to let Epstein walk free, no jail time, nothing. Prosecutors in my former office found this to be completely unacceptable. One of the tough questions in these cases, what is the value of a secured guilty plea with registration versus rolling the dice? And I know that in 2019 looking back on 2008, things may look different. But this was the judgment of prosecutors with dozens of years of experience.

Today's world treats victims very, very differently. Today's world does not allow some of the victim shaming that could have taken place at trial 12 years ago. The message to victims is come forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The state attorney in Florida back at the time of Epstein's conviction is blasting Secretary Acosta, accusing him of rewriting the history of the case. Meanwhile, the lawyer for some of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged victims was on CNN last hour. He says Epstein should stay exactly where he is, locked up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SPENCER KUVIN, REPRESENTED THREE EPSTEIN VICTIMS IN 2008: I can tell you that they're ecstatic that he's now behind bars which is a good thing and hopefully he'll stay there. But they're also skeptical because of what they went through as to what the system is going to actually do with him this time. They're hopeful that they'll do the right thing, but again since they've seen how the system has failed them in the past, they're really very skeptical.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Up next, Joe Biden's big speech on what he sees as his biggest asset in the 2020 campaign.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:48:16] KING: Some important news just in to CNN from Capitol Hill. The House Judiciary Committee green lighting subpoenas of a dozen Trump administration officials, including the president's son- in-law, Jared Kushner, the former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, and the former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Let's get straight to CNN's Manu Raju live on Capitol Hill. Manu, what are Democrats looking for here?

MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, A very contentious morning session at the House Judiciary Committee, a party- line vote 21-12 to authorize these subpoenas for a dozen individuals as part of the Democratic investigation into potential obstruction of justice. You named some of the big ones, Jared Kushner, John Kelly the former chief of staff, Corey Lewandowski the former campaign manager, people like the former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. But others as well including David Pecker who is head of the parent company of National Enquirer. Democrats are trying to probe into that hush money scandal involving the president's payments to silence those alleged extramarital affairs. Those stories that were about to come out ahead of the 2016 election. Those as part of the broader investigation into potential obstruction of justice.

But with all these issues, John, the question is will the White House ultimately comply? There is not much of an expectation that they will, so this could ultimately all get wrapped up into court. But also today, significantly Democrats moving on another front authorizing subpoenas over immigration. Democrats trying to learn more about the family separation that's happening at the border, that so-called zero-tolerance policy.

So, on two fronts Democrats moving this morning to move forward with subpoenas to compel records for the administration to turn over. But again, the big question is will they get compliance and probably will this end up in court?

John.

KING: Escalation in the oversight fights. Manu Raju live on the Hill, appreciate it.

[12:50:00] Here, help me. Jared Kushner, Jeff Sessions, Rod Rosenstein, John Kelly. The White House is going to say sure, right, anytime?

COLLINS: Yes. So what we've seen so far is they've blocked it and they've not let them go and testify or people who have testified they haven't let them answer a lot of questions. What's interesting about this tactic today is a lot of people on that list are people who did not work in the administration. Corey Lewandowski, David Pecker. Those are people who are not going to be subject to the same privilege excuses that the White House has used with other people that worked in the White House closely with the president. So that will be interesting to see how that plays out, what did those people do because Corey Lewandowski isn't protected by any kind of presidential privilege from working in the West Wing.

KING: And David Pecker of the National Enquirer is central to the idea of what did you know about these hush-money payments, did you help President Trump hide alleged affairs.

BADE: Yes.

KAPUR: It's one -- just one more battle that looks likely to end up in court. There are already House Democratic subpoenas on issues like the president's tax returns, family separations as Manu was pointing out, the census case as well. And the administration hasn't complied.

We don't really know what the Democrats' end game here is. Are they setting up a standard where if there are enough logs on that fire, they say, OK, now it's the time to impeach? I don't think they're going to do that.

BADE: Yes, but it's been what, seven months since the new Congress and it still feels like, you know, they're sort of reaching for a whole bunch of things and don't really have a clear strategy here. And these subpoenas also come, you know, at a time Mueller is going to be on the Hill next week. I feel like Democrats on the Hill feel that's a real make-or-break moment for them to try to get the public to pay attention to the Mueller report.

Can they actually do that? Because these subpoenas, even when they do get people in, like Hope Hicks who was very close with the president and did -- she did talk about her time on the campaign, that was behind closed doors. And they released a transcript, sure they got some headlines, but in terms of actually moving those everyday Americans who aren't really paying attention to this and haven't read the Mueller report or these transcripts, that's not going to cut it. And that's not going to move support toward impeachment.

KING: Keep an eye on that. We'll likely be involving the lawyers again.

Up next, an early misstep for a candidate the Democrats had hoped could send Mitch McConnell packing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:56:36] KING: Amy McGrath is off to a very rocky start in what was already an uphill race against the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Just days into her campaign, McGrath is apologizing for a flip flop flip on a question any decent Senate candidate should have been prepared for. Would you have voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court? McGrath told the Louisville Courier-Journal yesterday said she probably would have voted to confirm Kavanaugh if she were in the Senate at the time. Then a very quick retreat on Twitter.

"Upon further reflection and further understanding of his record, I would have voted no." "I will make mistakes", the candidate says, "and always own up to them. The priority is defeating Mitch McConnell."

Today's headlines back home, a campaign nightmare. Here's just the Courier-Journal, "Would Amy McGrath have voted Kavanaugh onto the Supreme Court? Depends on when you ask her."

There are some things a candidate gets a pass on in the minutia of policy. You're running for Senate against Mitch McConnell, you've got to have an answer on Brett Kavanaugh. That's kind of campaign 101, right?

HULSE: Yes. If you're running against Mitch McConnell, judges is the thing you're going to want to be talking about. What a disaster. This is just a disaster. I'm not sure what was worse, being for Kavanaugh or then having to flip so quickly and say you weren't.

I think --

KING: You're not going to raise any national Democratic money if you're for Kavanaugh and that's her only hope.

HULSE: And she had raised a bunch of money already. I mean, Mitch McConnell and his people are ruthless and she was going to have a really hard time anyway with Trump on the ballot in Kentucky and this kind of mistake, they were just rubbing their hands together over there at Team McConnell.

KING: They're not just ruthless, they're sarcastically funny ruthless. This is from team Mitch on Twitter. Amy right now, and we put it up. There we go. It's a dog in a laboratory. I have no idea what I'm doing. I mean, they are -- they're quick.

BADE: Ouch.

KING: And they're -- yes, ouch is the right word, thank you.

KAPUR: This whole thing kind of shows how Democrats have to twist themselves into a pretzel to run in a state like Kentucky. I mean, part of Amy McGrath's message is that President Trump won Kentucky by a big margin and she wants to work with him on things like infrastructure and draining the swamp. And she's painting McConnell as a threat to getting Trump's agenda passed and saying she would better work with President Trump. Not of it really compute here.

KING: But, it's also -- you've had Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate leader who's had some setbacks in his recruiting who thought this was a big success. She ran a House race -- even Democratic -- she lost so some people question whether this is a great success. But you have a, you know, former marine fighter pilot, a woman candidate to go against Mitch McConnell. In Kentucky, this is the Courier-Journal, first from a reporter Phillip Bailey, the first 36 hours of Amy McGrath launch have not been a good confidence builder for Kentucky Democrats. Already hearing from several officials and consultants who are saying, and they list two other possible candidates there.

Is this a case where Washington thinks it's right? And maybe, you know, a state like Kentucky people are saying uh-uh.

BADE: Well, this was actually tested, you know, in 2018. There were a number of, you know, female American heroes from the military who ran in red districts and defeated Republican. Amy McGrath got super close to defeating Andy Barr and she had no business having that district which was super red. But they tested this in 2018 and most of those women won and she was definitely a star and someone people thought should run again.

And so if anyone -- if they thought they could have a success of beating McConnell, they thought it would be her. But really after this, she probably can't recover from this.

KING: I was just going say, it's early and we'll see if she can recover but it was a very tough race, to begin with, and so she doesn't get many mistakes like some candidates doing.

Speaking of Justice Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court, just a shout out to one of our guests here, Carl Hulse and his new book, "Confirmation Bias: Inside Washington's War Over the Supreme Court, from Scalia's Death to Justice Kavanaugh." You see it right there. Come on the show someday and Carl will sign it for you. Just barge in (INAUDIBLE).

Thanks for joining us in the INSIDE POLITICS. Don't go anywhere, Brianna Keilar starts right now.

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